Public Safety

Reporting an Emergency:

You can report an emergency in the following ways:

1. Call 911 to report emergencies directly to the New York City Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services. If calling 911 while on campus dial 9 followed by 911 and also call Security & Public Safety at x7777 so we can expedite the emergency response

2.Call x7777 to contact Security & Public Safety, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

3. Press the Emergency Assistance Stations located in corridors and places of public assembly throughout the building. Emergency Assistance Stations are circular in shape and lit for high visibility. Pressing the blue, center section sends a signal to the electronic security console and an officer is then sent to the station’s location.

4. Press the Emergency Tape Switches mounted on rest room walls. This device is white in color and similar to the device used on buses to request a stop. When pressed, a signal is sent to the electronic security console and an officer is then sent to that tape switch location.

5. For smoke or fire, pull the Fire Alarm Pull Boxes, which are bright red in color, located adjacent to all fire exits. Lifting the cover and pulling down the handle activates the alarm. A signal is sent to the fire command station in the main lobby and to a central dispatch station that notifies the FDNY. When pulled, this device will also activate an audible fire alarm on the floor where pulled and the floor above.

CUNY A!ert is a secure, web-based emergency notification system that allows you to receive text or voice notifications of campus emergencies or weather related closings. You can sign up for CUNY A!ert at www.cuny.edu/alert. You will then be able to select the best way to get messages: cell phone, home phone, e-mail, instant message, or any combination of these. The process takes only a few minutes and everyone is encouraged to sign up for this free service as it will be an important part of the Graduate Center’s Emergency Operations Plan.

The mission of the Office of Security and Public Safety is to promote a safe and secure environment in a minimally intrusive manner that strives to protect and respect the rights and dignity of the individual. The protection of our students, staff, faculty and visitors, along with its premises and property, is not a peripheral factor but central to the achievement of The Graduate Center's educational, research and cultural mission. The Office of Security & Public Safety is committed to providing a comprehensive and progressive program of security, public safety, crime prevention, emergency response, fire safety and other related services.

The Graduate Center is proud of its safety record and our officers are dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure environment while adhering to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and ethical conduct. However, a truly safe campus can only be achieved through the cooperation of all its students, staff and faculty. We should keep in mind that the potential for crime does exist and each of us should assume personal responsibility by taking precautions to prevent ourselves from becoming victims of crime.